Persistent roles of signal transduction of platelet-derived growth factor B in genesis, growth, and anaplastic transformation of gliomas in an in-vivo serial transplantation model

The methylation status of the platelet-derived growth factor-B gene promoter and its regulation of cellular proliferation following folate treatment in human glioma cells

Platelet-derived growth factor-B (PDGF-B) is a growth factor that regulates cell migration, proliferation, and differentiation, and is involved in several physical and pathological processes. The overexpression of PDGF-B in glioma surgical samples revealed its effect on tumorigenesis. In this study, we determined that the expression of PDGF-B in 54 glioma samples varied among different grades and was correlated with the cell proliferation marker, Ki-67. Using pyrosequencing, we quantitatively assessed PDGF-B gene methylation levels and determined that hypomethylation promotes increased expression of PDGF-B in higher grade gliomas. Furthermore, we treated two glioma cell lines with a demethylating agent (5-aza-2'-deoxycitidine, 5-aza-dC) or a remethylating agent (folate) to alter the methylation status of PDGF-B. The epigenetic regulation of the PDGF-B gene not only modulated the expression levels of PDGF-B but also affected the cellular proliferation induced by TGFβ-Smad activity and the PDGF-B peptide itself. Our work showed the importance of the methylation status of the PDGF-B gene promoter, and suggests that the epigenetic regulation of the PDGF-B gene may serve as a potential therapeutic target for the inhibition of glioma proliferation.

PDGF-B-mediated downregulation of miR-21: new insights into PDGF signaling in glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a highly heterogeneous type of tumor characterized by genomic and signaling abnormalities affecting pathways involved in control of cell fate, including tumor-suppressor- and growth factor-regulated pathways. An aberrant miRNA expression has been observed in GBM, being associated with impaired cellular functions resulting in malignant transformation, proliferation and invasion. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that platelet-derived growth factor-B (PDGF-B), a potent angiogenic growth factor involved in GBM development and progression, promotes downregulation of pro-oncogenic (miR-21) and anti-oncogenic (miR-128) miRNAs, as well as upregulation/downregulation of several miRNAs involved in GBM pathology. Retrovirally mediated overexpression of PDGF-B in U87 human GBM cells or their prolonged exposure, as well as that of F98 rat glioma cells to this ligand, resulted in decreased miR-21 and miR-128 levels, which was associated with increased cell proliferation. Furthermore, siRNA-mediated PDGF-B silencing led to increased levels of miR-21 and miR-128, while miRNA modulation through overexpression of miR-21 did not alter the levels of PDGF-B. Finally, we demonstrate that modulation of tumor suppressors PTEN and p53 in U87 cells does not affect the decrease in miR-21 levels associated with PDGF-B overexpression. Overall, our findings suggest that, besides its role in inducing GBM tumorigenesis, PDGF-B may enhance tumor proliferation by modulating the expression of oncomiRs and tumor suppressor miRNAs in U87 human GBM cells.

Identification of VHY/Dusp15 as a regulator of oligodendrocyte differentiation through a systematic genomics approach

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neuroinflammatory disease characterized by a progressive loss of myelin and a failure of oligodendrocyte (OL)-mediated remyelination, particularly in the progressive phases of the disease. An improved understanding of the signaling mechanisms that control differentiation of OL precursors may lead to the identification of new therapeutic targets for remyelination in MS. About 100 mammalian Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases (PTPs) are known, many of which are involved in signaling both in health and disease. We have undertaken a systematic genomic approach to evaluate PTP gene activity in multiple sclerosis autopsies and in related in vivo and in vitro models of the disease. This effort led to the identification of Dusp15/VHY, a PTP previously believed to be expressed only in testis, as being transcriptionally regulated during OL differentiation and in MS lesions. Subsequent RNA interference studies revealed that Dusp15/VHY is a key regulator of OL differentiation. Finally, we identified PDGFR-beta and SNX6 as novel and specific Dusp15 substrates, providing an indication as to how this PTP might exert control over OL differentiation.

Review: molecular pathology in adult high-grade gliomas: from molecular diagnostics to target therapies

The classification of malignant gliomas is moving from a morphology-based guide to a system built on molecular criteria. The development of a genomic landscape for gliomas and a better understanding of its functional consequences have led to the development of internally consistent molecular classifiers. However, development of a biologically insightful classification to guide therapy is still a work in progress. Response to targeted treatments is based not only on the presence of drugable targets, but rather on the molecular circuitry of the cells. Further, tumours are heterogeneous and change and adapt in response to drugs. Therefore, the challenge of developing molecular classifiers that provide meaningful ways to stratify patients for therapy remains a major challenge for the field. In this review, we examine the potential role of MGMT methylation, IDH1/2 mutations, 1p/19q deletions, aberrant epidermal growth factor receptor and PI3K pathways, abnormal p53/Rb pathways, cancer stem-cell markers and microRNAs as prognostic and predictive molecular markers in the setting of adult high-grade gliomas and we outline the clinically relevant subtypes of glioblastoma with genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic integrated analyses. Furthermore, we describe how these advances, especially in epidermal growth factor receptor/PI3K/mTOR signalling pathway, affect our approaches towards targeted therapy, raising new challenges and identifying new leads.